FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL; Lewis Hits Soft Spot In Jets' Defense

BY TIMOTHY W. SMITH,

Published: August 16, 1991

HEMPSTEAD, L.I., Aug. 15—
The Jets' linebacker corps was at the heart of the team's dismal defensive performance last year, so the team's coaches are looking to an infusion of youthful talent as a way to make the corps the center of a stronger defense this year.

The Jets' defense finished No. 22 in the National Football League last year. And it was dead last in average yards per carry allowed (4.8), a shortcoming attributable to a combination of poor run-stopping ability and an effective pass rush.

Coach Bruce Coslet said he and his staff spent two hours one night this week discussing the possible combinations of linebackers that they can put on the field in an effort to strengthen the defense.

At the head of the youth movement is Mo Lewis, third-round pick in this year's draft, and Bobby Houston, a second-year player the Jets picked up on Plan B last season. The two will be vying for the starting job at left outside linebacker with veteran Joe Mott, who started there last year. Gifted but Green

Lewis, who at 6 feet 3 inches and 242 pounds runs a 4.7 40-yard dash, gives the Jets a strong, fast player who can stop the run and drop back into pass coverage from the position. He will start in place of Mott in this Saturday's game against the Giants at Giants Stadium. Lewis is expected to play the entire first half.

"Mo Lewis played a lot and played very well for a young guy," Coslet said. "He's a real physical, tough guy. However, both him and Bobby are not experienced, so you have to live through their mistakes. But they're gifted enough athletically where they can overcome making a mistake and still recover."

Lewis, who said he was excited about the prospects of starting a nationally televised game (ESPN, 8 P.M.), expressed surprise that he had progressed enough to be in a position to potentially start in his first season.

"I didn't realize the Jets had any problem with linebackers until I got here," Lewis said. "If I would have gone anywhere else in the N.F.L., a lot of teams would have said he's just a rookie. He's inexperienced. We're going to give him a year to learn the defense. I wasn't expecting this so soon. Now, that it's here, I've got to deal with it." Position Wide Open

Mott will back up Kyle Clifton at middle linebacker. At this point, Clifton, who led the team with 199 tackles last year, is the only linebacker assured of keeping his starting job. Joe Kelly, who missed last week's game against Kansas City with a pinched nerve in his neck, will start at right outside linebacker, but will also play some at middle linebacker.

Pete Carroll, the Jets' defensive coordinator, said the left or strong- side linebacker position is wide open at this point. And although Lewis has played a lot during the preseason, Carroll said he's anxious to see how he would adjust to starting at the position and just as anxious to see whether he can stick.

"He's got to play well and he's got to show that he knows what he's doing," Carroll said. "He can't be a breakdown guy for us, because he doesn't know the assignments or he doesn't know the schemes. We're not going to simplify it for him.

"It's not a real difficult position to learn. He has a chance to learn this position by the time camp is done, enough so that we can count on him." Some Position Shifts

Coslet said there will be some juggling of positions among the veterans, because they're experienced enough in the system to learn more than one position.

"It's real difficult for a young guy to know two positions," Coslet said. "So you take your veterans who have been in the scheme for a year or a year and a half and those are the guys you might want to move, Joe Kelly, Joe Mott, as backup."

"We're going to mix and match these guys and try to get the best three guys on the field that we can and I don't know who they are right now." EXTRA POINTS

Linebacker JOE MOTT (bruised heel) and left tackle JEFF CRISWELL (pulled hamstring) missed practice today. Mott is listed as probable for Saturday's game and is expected to play. Criswell is listed as doubtful and probably won't play. He will be replaced by RON MATTES, who was acquired in an offseason trade with Seattle . . . The Jets have begun their regular-season routine, which means that all practices are now closed to the public.